Case Study: Up To 3X Lower Cost Per Lead For Attorneys, LSA vs Google Ads (2026 Data)

Originally published in August 2021. Fully updated in 2026 with current data from active attorney ad accounts.

When we first published this case study in 2021, the takeaway was simple: Local Service Ads (LSA) produced leads for attorneys at up to 10x lower cost than Google Ads. Five years later, we pulled fresh numbers from the attorney accounts we manage today, and the picture has changed.

LSA costs have roughly doubled or tripled across all three practice areas. In two of the three, Google Ads (PPC) now produces cheaper leads than LSA. In criminal defense, LSA still comes out ahead.

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Below is what we found, practice area by practice area.

Key Terms Used in This Post

What Are Google Local Service Ads?

Local Service Ads appear at the very top of the Google search results page, above standard Google Ads and above the organic (non-paid) results.

To run LSA, your firm has to apply and pass Google's verification process. This includes identity checks for the firm owner and attorneys, proof of active bar licenses, and proof of professional liability insurance. Every attorney who appears in your ads must be licensed in the state where the ads show. Once approved, your profile displays the Google Verified badge. That badge replaced the older "Google Screened" badge in late 2025.

When someone clicks your LSA ad, they go to your LSA profile on Google, not your website (another way Google keeps its traffic on its properties). From there, they can call or message your firm directly, and your LSA dashboard records every lead.

And below is an attorney LSA profile page after a user clicks through to the profile. You are not charged for someone clicking through from the ad to your profile, only if they call or message you, which is the big difference between LSA and typical Google Ads/PPC.

Below is an example of the LSA lead's dashboard - the red arrows point to leads in various charge statuses: the first red arrow, charged; the second, "in review"; and the last lead was credited back. 

How LSA Works: Job Types, Not Keywords

Google Ads, also known as PPC, are triggered by keywords you choose. LSA is organized by legal category (Immigration, Criminal, Personal Injury, and so on) and then by sub-specialties Google calls Job Types. You toggle each Job Type on or off.

Your LSA ad competes only with other attorneys running LSA in the same categories. It does not compete with the Google Ads that show below it. Below are examples of the sub-categories available for criminal defense attorneys and immigration attorneys. 

How Bad LSA Leads Are Handled Now

In 2021, you could manually dispute a bad lead, such as a wrong category or a sales call, and Google would usually credit you. That process is gone.

Since 2024, Google reviews leads automatically and credits the ones its system decides are low quality. You can still rate individual leads in your dashboard, which can prompt a second review.

Choose your Job Type and service-area settings correctly from the start, because if you get a call for a sub-category you don't offer because you didn't turn it off, Google will still charge you. For personal injury firms in particular, a few mis-targeted calls at LSA prices add up fast.

How LSA Costs Have Changed Since 2021

Here's the average LSA cost per lead we saw in 2021 compared with today:

More firms are competing for the same limited LSA spots at the top of the page, and costs have risen accordingly. Personal injury, already the most competitive category, saw the steepest increase.

2026 Cost Per Lead: LSA vs Google Ads

A note on what counts as a lead: For LSA, a lead is a call or message that Google charged us for. For Google Ads, a lead is a tracked conversion (see Google Ads conversion tracking for more), meaning a qualified call from the ad, a call from your website, or a form submission.

Immigration Attorneys

Google Ads was 3x cheaper. Immigration keywords remain relatively affordable per click. With a well-built landing page, a solid share of that traffic becomes leads, which drives cost per lead well below LSA. However, I will add that, depending on your market, Google Ads cost per lead can vary quite a bit. 

Criminal Defense Attorneys

LSA was roughly 3x cheaper.

We don't currently run Google Ads for a criminal defense firm, so the PPC figure is an estimate. Google's Keyword Planner puts the top-of-page bid for criminal defense keywords at $74.68 per click. Our recent Google Ads data for attorney clients shows an 11.7% click-to-lead conversion rate (117 leads from 997 clicks). Applying that rate, and a more conservative 10%, puts criminal defense PPC at an estimated $636–$747 per lead. Actual click costs often come in below Google's top-of-page estimates, so real-world results are likely to be somewhat better.

Personal Injury Attorneys

Google Ads was about 2x cheaper than LSA phone calls. LSA message leads came in slightly below Google Ads, but messages tend to be less urgent than calls, and they typically convert to signed cases at a lower rate.

PI is where LSA costs have changed the most. Where a $229 average LSA lead once looked like a bargain next to PPC, today's $658 phone call lead is more than double what we paid through Google Ads.

Google Ads was about 2x cheaper than LSA phone calls. LSA message leads came in slightly below Google Ads, but messages tend to be less urgent than calls, and they typically convert to signed cases at a lower rate.

PI is where LSA costs have changed the most. Where a $229 average LSA lead once looked like a bargain next to PPC, today's $658 phone call lead is more than double what we paid through Google Ads. These numbers will also vary if you're focused on specific sub-categories like Auto Accidents, which tend to be the most expensive PI leads. 

So, Which Should Your Firm Use?

The honest answer in 2026 is that it depends on your practice area, and most firms should test both.

In some metro areas, personal injury is extremely competitive, and capturing enough volume with LSA ads is difficult, so a Google Ads campaign can complement LSA efforts alongside Local SEO to capture high-intent searchers. 

Your results will vary with your market, competition, budget, intake process, and how quickly your firm answers calls and messages. Both LSA and Google Ads start producing leads as soon as they're turned on, so you can test each and let your numbers decide.

Another consideration is that with Google Ads, because you pay per click, you will need to ensure your landing pages are effective and resonate with the traffic to keep cost per lead low.

Beyond Bottom-of-Funnel Leads

LSA and search ads reach only people searching for an attorney right now. Neither builds awareness with people who will need one in the months ahead.

For a personal injury client, we recently paired Google Ads with Connected TV (streaming TV) advertising and measured the impact through growth in first-time qualified calls. 

For a multi-state personal injury firm, we added $15,203 of connected TV advertising to an existing Google Ads program. First-time qualified calls rose from 45 in July to 95 in August, a 111% increase, at about two cents per unique viewer reached. The lift didn't show up in Google Ads reporting, and it took about three weeks of repeated exposure to kick in, but it expanded the pool of people searching for and calling the firm by name.

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